A fuel filter is known from the US 2009/0250402 A1 with which particles and water can be removed from a fuel. The fuel filter features a housing in which a filter element is disposed. The housing has inlets for the fuel to be filtered and an outlet for the cleaned fuel. The filter element separates the inlets from the outlet. The filter element has a cylindrical outer filter media step and a cylindrical inner filter media step that is disposed in the outer filter media step with a radial distance. The outer filter media steps consist of a material that is suited to coalesce free water and emulsified water that is contained in the fuel. The inner filter media step consists of a water-separating medium that is suited to separate water from the fuel so that no water can flow downstream of the inner filter media step. In addition, the outer filter media step and the inner filter media step are suited to remove or to capture undesired particles from the fuel. The inner filter media step extends between a first lower end cap and an upper end plate. The first lower end cap comprises a pair of opposing flanges that extend from a basic section of the first lower end cap to the top. The outer filter media step extends between a second lower end cap and the upper end plate. The second lower end cap comprises also a pair of opposing flanges that extend from a basic section to the top. The outer filter media step has a longer vertical length than the inner filter media step. Due to the differences in length, a gap is realized between a lower end face of the inner filter media step and a lower front face of the outer filter media step. A radial gap is provided between the outer circumferential side of the inner filter media step and an inner circumferential side of the outer filter media step. The radial gap allows water that was coalesced in the outer filter media step to move downwards as soon as water drops have been formed by means of the outer filter media step and leave this filter media step. The axial overlap of the filter medium of the outer filter media step and the filter medium of the inner filter media step is restricted by the difference in length and the axial extension of the fluid-impermeable flanges of the two end caps. The flanges can influence the flow course of the fuel and/or the water in the radial gap and thus the properties of the fuel.